DelMar8thGradeScienceName:JamesMcCullochDate:September24,2014Per7

James - Recorder, Sultan Timer,

Ian - Dropper

GoalsTo develop the skills of a scientist

by reviewing the scientific method.

graphing with independent variable as x axis, and dependent variable
as y axis
Introducing accuracy, reproducibility and significant figures

Problem
What affects the period of a pendulum?
Period = the time a pendulum swings back and forth once

Materials
Stand, string, washers, big paperclips, rulers, stopwatch

Hypothesis
I think that the drop height of the bob will affect the period of

a pendulum by making it increase the period as the drop height

increases.
Therefore, my independent variable is the drop height.
Independent variable = manipulated variable-what I am changing

My dependent variable is the period of the pendulum.

Dependent variable = responding variable -what I am measuring

My controlled variables are: the length of the string and the

weight of
the bob.
Controlled variables are everything I am keeping the same

StartingData
Independent Variable

Starting Value

Incremental change

DropHeight

70

40

Dependent variable = the period of the pendulum (swing time)

Controlled Variables
Length of String

Value
44 cm

Weight of Bob

16.3 grams

ExperimentalData
Trial

Independent
variable = Drop
Height
70 cm

60 cm

50 cm

40 cm

30 cm

Time of 5 swings (s)

Test 1

Test

Average time
for 5 swings (s)

The Period (s)

7.20
seconds
7.36
seconds
7.18
seconds
7.26
seconds
7.19
seconds

1.375
seconds
1.728
seconds
1.427
seconds
1.221
seconds
1.161
seconds

7
seconds
7.35
seconds
7.16
seconds
7.32
seconds
6.91
seconds

7.40
seconds
7.37
seconds
7.20
seconds
7.20
seconds
7.47
seconds

(Average time
for 1 swing)

AnalyzeandConclude
The period of a pendulum is the time the time a pendulum swings back
and forth once. In this lab, we tested what affects the period of a
pendulum. I think that the drop height of the bob will affect the period
of a pendulum by making it increase the period as the drop height
increases. When my group changed the independent variable, we used
the yardsticks to make sure that we had the exact drop height so that
we didnt mess up the experiment, and double-checked the height
again, just to make sure it was right. My group and I kept the controlled
variables the same by keeping the same bob throughout the entire
experiment, and before every drop of the bob, measuring the length of
the string to make sure that it was still 44 cm long. My data shows that
my hypothesis was incorrect, because it showed almost no difference in
the period of the pendulum. From when we dropped it from 30 cm to
when we dropped it from 70 cm there was only a 0.01 of a difference in
the period. I wrongfully predicted that there would be a big difference,
but in the end there was almost no visible difference at all. My
classmates and I did come to the same conclusion. There could be
errors in our data if we were not exactly precise about where we were
dropping it from, or maybe if we measured it incorrectly. We were also
timing the drop by hand, a technique that isnt that reliable if you need
very precise data. In conclusion, the period of a pendulum is affected by
the simplest things, such as incorrect measurements of the height, and
false data.

The Period of the Pendalum Based on the Height of the Bob Dropped from
8

7.19

7.26

7.18

7.36

7.2

7
6
5

The Period

Lenth of Period 4
3
2
1
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75
Drop Height of the Bob